Royal Decorations
by Monochromatic
The bitter December night air bit at the bodies of the three ponies flying outside Golden Oak Library. Scarves hid runny noses from sight, earmuffs covered sensitive ears, and boots protected hooves from sleet and mud.
“And then we stopped by to visit Coco after the play,” Fluttershy said, helping Twilight carefully place a string of multicolored lights on the branches of the old oak tree. “Maybe next time you’ll come along too, Twilight. They had an exposition on Starswirl the Bearded in the Manehattan National Gallery. I’m sure you would have loved it.”
“I would have loved to go with you girls, but I couldn’t cancel on Princess Celestia,” Twilight said apologetically. “She had been planning that seminar for weeks now, and I had to be there.”
Decorating Golden Oaks for Hearth's Warming Eve was admittedly not Twilight’s favorite part of the holiday. Then again, she had four friends and a marefriend that were delighted to spend time with her — especially after being separated for a week — and help her decorate while they were at it.
“Well, next time, I’m not going if you’re not going,” Rainbow interjected, kicking off snow from the branches. “I can’t handle another day of Rarity’s apparent separation anxiety, and her getting all mushy every five minutes because she misses you.” She shook her head. “No thanks.”
“Oh, she wasn’t that bad, Rainbow,” Fluttershy said, receiving a skeptical stare in return.
“‘Wasn’t that bad’?” Rainbow repeated. She then ran a hoof through her mane, pushing it back and put the other hoof on her chest. “Oooooh, goodness gracious, my poor darling Twilight is stranded in Canterlot!” she imitated in her best attempt at Rarity’s accent. “Whatever shall I do?! Oh! Oh dear, that thing over there reminds me of Twilight for some random reason! Twiiiiiiiiilight!”
“If you’re done mocking me, Rainbow Dash, I’d suggest you all hurry up and finish. It’s late and I don’t want you catching colds.”
The three mares looked down to find a very unimpressed Rarity standing on a nearby balcony. One by one, they flew down to the balcony. While Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were the first to enter the library, the latter still imitating the unicorn, Twilight lingered behind with Rarity.
“Uhm, since Spike is still in Canterlot, you’re staying to help me with decorating the tree, right?” she asked, trying to act casual.
While it was true that she could use the extra help with Spike gone, Twilight’s hope for Rarity’s late departure wasn’t so much because she needed help, but more because of what would happen if Rarity stayed: they’d have a nice time decorating the tree, drinking eggnog, and Rarity could stay over until late. Or stay the entire night, too, if it got too late to go home — which it always did.
“I did promise, did I not?” Rarity said, adjusting the scarf around Twilight’s neck. Once she was satisfied, she planted a quick kiss on Twilight’s nose before trotting back inside. “Come on, you don’t want to be sneezing all over the tree later.”
An hour later, the six friends were gathered up in the main entrance. To the side stood a large pine tree, waiting to be decorated. But, judging by the yawning of most of them, only Rarity and Twilight would stay behind to finish the job.
"I think that's it, girls. Just the tree is left," Twilight informed, looking at a purple notebook Rarity had given her, where she had written down a list of things to decorate.
“I think we best start headin’ out, then,” Applejack said, putting her empty glass of eggnog on a nearby table. “You all promised to help decorate the farm tomorrow, and Big Mac won’t take kindly to us starting late in the morning.”
Rainbow opened the front door, ready to take her leave. “Hey, as long it isn’t before eleven a.m., I’m not complaining.”
“Oh, filly, have I got some bad news for you," Applejack said, smiling. "See y’all at eight a.m. tomorrow!” She trotted out of the library, laughing at the horrified looking pegasus. Fluttershy followed Applejack soon after, leaving only Pinkie and the groaning Rainbow.
“I better go, too! Miss Cake asked me to close up shop tonight,” Pinkie said, putting on her ear muffs before winking at Rarity and Twilight. “Don’t stay up toooooo late, you two!” She giggled, hopping out of the library. “And don’t drink too much eggnog!”
Rainbow Dash followed her, but not before looking back to do one last imitation of Rarity. “Goodbye, darlings! I’ll try not to miss you too much!” Her laugh only stopped when a rather flustered Rarity closed the door behind the pegasus the second she was outside.
“Applejack mentioned the rest of the decorations were in the basement. Shall I go fetch them?” she suggested, though didn’t wait for Twilight to offer to go herself and promptly trotted off, cheeks still red.
Minutes later, her voice rang through the house. “Found them!” she called. “Twilight, you really ought to consider cleaning your basement." Several dusty cardboard boxes floated behind her as she trotted into the room. “It’s a miracle I found the decorations with the mess you have in there!”
“I’ll ask Spike to help me out when he comes back,” Twilight replied, helping Rarity with some of the boxes. She placed one of them next to the tree and sat down, floating over her glass of eggnog. After taking a sip, she turned to the box and opened it up, a cloud of dust poofing into existence. “Let’s start with the lights.”
While she busied herself with untangling the long line of multicolored lights, briefly wondering how they had even gotten so tangled in the first place, Rarity got to work with the other boxes. As they worked, they engaged in idle small talk: what were their plans for the holiday, how was the business going, the royal duties, all that. Twilight was in the middle of explaining her duties for an upcoming festival when a horrified gasp interrupted her. She glanced to Rarity and saw her crown floating on top of the box.
“Twilight! What’s the meaning of this?! Why is your crown collecting dust in the basement?!” Rarity demanded, throwing Twilight an absolutely appalled look.
Twilight blinked. “Oh, that’s where it was,” she noted before going back to practicing her detangling skills. “I wondered where I’d put it.”
“If this is how you’re going to treat your crown, I’m confiscating it because this is just unacceptable!” Rarity continued, Twilight’s apathy increasing her displeasure at the situation. “I realize you don’t like wearing it, but hones—”
“Rarity, that’s not my crown. That’s a fake crown. The one Sunset Shimmer made.” Twilight interrupted. She then turned to the unicorn and offered a cheeky smile. “I mean, you try to ‘borrow’ my crown so often, I’m surprised you forgot it’s upstairs in my room, silly.”
Rarity’s cheeks flushed. “I-I resent the implication, Twilight!” she sputtered, waving the fake crown around. “I-I merely want to… give it.. a breath of fresh air considering you keep it cooped up in that drawer all day!”
Twilight snorted. “If you say so, Rarity.”
“In any case, it’s still no reason to treat this crown like this!” Rarity continued, a blush still present on her face. She took a closer look at the crown, eyes narrowing. “It’s very well made for a fake, and you could at least put it somewhere more decent than with the spiders and their cobwebs!”
Rarity was right, and Twilight knew just the place to put it. She used her own magic to take the crown away from Rarity’s grip and then carefully put it on top of Rarity’s head. “There!” she exclaimed, pleased at her brilliant solution. “Now we both have matching crowns.”
Rarity’s entire face lit up, and Twilight found herself wishing she had thought of doing that earlier. “Really?” she asked, and burst into a small giggling fit when Twilight nodded.
Twilight turned back to her lights, a dorky smile painted all over her face. A fake crown wasn’t really suited for Rarity, though. I’ll commission a proper one for her, she thought, taking a sip of eggnog, with her favorite gemstones. If I send the letter today, maybe it’ll be ready in time for Hearth Warming. If Rarity was so excited with the decoy, she couldn’t wait to see how excited she’d be with her own crown.
Minutes ticked by, and Twilight finally had a single line of lights instead of a tangled ball. “Okay, Rarity, can you help…” she drifted off, finding the unicorn toying with her crown while the box of decorations remained un-emptied. “Rarity…?”
“Isn’t it exciting to imagine?” Rarity whispered dreamily to the crown. “Princess Rarity…”
Even though Twilight thought Rarity should be a princess, she was never going to admit to it, or else Rarity might get even more distracted. Instead, she rolled her eyes playfully. “As exciting as it may be, Your Highness, “ she said, humoring Rarity’s fantasy, “we still have a whole tree to decorate. So, could you please put your crown back on and come and help me?”
“‘Your Highness’? Oh my, my, my!” Rarity said, putting on her crown and flashing Twilight a smile. “I’m delighted that you see me for what I truly am, darling!” She trotted over to the tree and started wrapping it with the string of lights, allowing Twilight to start unpacking the boxes Rarity had neglected. Or, she would have, if Rarity hadn’t decided to plop herself in front of Twilight. “I suppose only you are worthy of a high power position in my kingdom.”
Twilight laughed. “That’s very kind of you, Ra—” Rarity placed her hoof on her chest, gasping. “— err, Your Highness, but—”
“Twilight Sparkle! Are you rejecting a position of power in the kingdom of Princess Rarity?! You could have been my royal advisor and bodyguard!” she gasped in mock offense.
“The royal advisor and bodyguard?” asked Twilight, laughing. “What, am I supposed to throw books at your enemies? I’m sure History of Magic Volume six is thick enough to knock somepony out.”
“Oh hardy har har.” Rarity rolled her eyes before leaning in, smiling deviously at Twilight. “You’re lucky I’m so profoundly taken by you, otherwise I would not hesitate to throw you in the dungeons for your insolence.”
Twilight felt her cheeks heat up. “You’re far too kind, Princess Rarity,” she said, doing a mock-bow, laughing a bit.
“I know, darling, I know,” Rarity said, flipping her mane before leaning in to kiss Twilight. When she pulled back, the sight of a very smitten alicorn made her giggle. “What country would I be princess of, though?”
Maybe it was the butterflies in her stomach. Maybe it was cute Rarity looked, eyes narrowed and biting down on her lip as she tried to answer her own question; or maybe it was all that eggnog, but whatever it was, it was responsible for Twilight sighing and saying: “My heart.”
Admittedly, that was possibly one of the corniest things Twilight had ever said, and it seemed like Rarity thought so too. In what seemed like a second, Rarity’s previously sultry smile disappeared completely, her eyes widening as she unceremoniously leaned back, placing both forehooves on her snout. Had Twilight been too corny? Actually, was it even possible to say something too corny to Rarity?
“I…” Rarity finally squeaked, blinking several times. “I’m the princess of your heart?” she whispered, and before Twilight could even reply, she threw herself on the alicorn, toppling them both to the floor. Fiercely hugging Twilight and burying her muzzle in the latter’s neck, it was impressive how she could go from cool seductress to giggling mess in five seconds flat. “Oh, yes, please. What a lovely place to rule over.”
Twilight couldn’t help but join in the laughing, a wide smile on her lips despite her flushed cheeks. She gingerly put a foreleg around Rarity, nuzzling affectionately at the giggling mare on top of her. After five minutes, though, she realized the tree was still quite bare, prompting her to gently rub her hoof on Rarity’s back. “Is Your Highness ever going to let me get up so we can finish decorating the tree?”
“Never.”
“If you say so,” Twilight replied, starting to float the decorations over to the tree. True, there were better ways of decorating, but she wasn’t complaining one bit.
FIN
Author's Note
This was written based on a headcanon a friend told me on Skype, and I obviously had to write it because there's no better way to procrastinate college finals than to write fluffy RariTwi.
This is also my tenth story! I wanted to post a different ship to change things up a bit, but then I remembered that not only did I not have any other fic finished, but also that ~~I'm 100% raritwi trash~~ you can never have enough rarilight.
